A FATHER-OF-THREE who embezzled £17,000 from a youth football club in Feltham, driving it to the brink of closure, has been jailed for 20 months.

William Ryan made at least 50 fraudulent transactions during his 14 months as treasurer of West London Youth Football Club, before stepping down in February this year after his crime came to light.

The club, set up to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the area, was only able to survive thanks to a loan from the parents of a committee member. Its future remains uncertain.

Ryan, 39, of Faversham, admitted fraud by abuse of position and at Isleworth Crown Court today was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Sentencing him, Judge Simon Davis said: "This was a club formed in an area of London where there's known to be some social deprivation and where crime figures are significant.

"I have to take into account the importance of that to the local community because you've undermined those children and those parents who may have drawn comfort from the fact that here was a football club catering for their boys and girls who might otherwise have been on the streets or causing some difficulty."

The court heard WLYFC had been formed in 2010 to address the lack of youth facilities in the area, plagued by high rates of crime and antisocial behaviour.

Ryan was a founding member of the club, which runs four football teams, an academy and offers free training to boys and girls aged four to 16.

It relies on donations to fund its good work, including £3,000 from Comic Relief and £7,500 awarded through the Evening Standard's Dispossessed Fund - money Ryan diverted to his private account.

Lyall Thompson, prosecuting, told the court Ryan's crime only emerged when the club received a bank letter saying its account was overdrawn.

He said Ryan had initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming a messy divorce and child custody case meant he had taken his eye off the ball.

Rabin Govindarajah, defending, said Ryan was 'very ashamed' and had offered to pay the money back in full by getting a loan from his father.

But Mr Davis said anything less than a custodial sentence would send out the message you could abuse such a position of trust without paying the 'ultimate price'